Kingdom of Florida: The Golden Alligator selected as finalist in National Indie Excellence Awards
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA, May 28, 2021 - Kingdom of Florida: The Golden Alligator, the first novel in author Taylor Thomas Smythe’s middle-grade fantasy saga, was selected as a finalist in the 15th Annual National Indie Excellence Awards.
The National Indie Excellence Awards celebrate independent publishing as a strong and vital sector of the industry. Recognizing excellence in all aspects of the final presentation, NIEA champions self-publishers and the independent presses who produce the highest quality books across a spectrum of metrics. Established in 2005, NIEA’s entrants are meticulously judged by experts from various facets of the book industry profession including publishers, editors, authors and designers.
“I am thrilled by the news,” said Smythe. “It’s truly an honor to be chosen as a finalist out of a pool of so many talented writers across the United States. It feels satisfying and gratifying to see my debut novel recognized in this way, and I can’t wait for readers to continue this adventure with me.”
Smythe continued: “As this award covers all facets of the book, including the writing, design, and more, I want to pay special tribute to Alice Waller for her excellent work conveying an imaginative vision of the Kingdom through her illustrations. I am so grateful for her work on these books.”
The Golden Alligator is the first novel in the Kingdom of Florida series, which draws inspiration from such classics as The Chronicles of Narnia, Harry Potter, and L. Frank Baum’s Oz books, and follows the journey of a group of South Florida children as they discover a magical parallel world ruled by an evil prince. The sixth installment—Coral and the Treasure Hunters—is scheduled for release this June.
The first five individual Kingdom of Florida books are independently published and available via online booksellers and www.kingdomofflorida.com in a variety of formats. The NIEA press release, including the fill list of winners and finalists in the National Indie Excellence Awards, can be viewed here.
